Ban Your Blow Dryer This Summer

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Summer is almost here and, though there are many things to look forward to in warmer weather (sundresses!), one of the downsides is the toll humidity takes on your silky-smooth locks. But that doesn't mean you can't sport a beautiful summer 'do. In fact, if you take advantage of the casualness of the season, you can get a great look with minimal effort. No matter what your hair type, you just need to know a few secrets (which we got from the pros) and you'll be able to run out the door in minutes by rocking a wash-and-go look.

Cut: For straight hair to look styled after air-drying, it must contain a lot of movement, explains Ricardo Dinis, Aveda's North American artistic director. If your hair is fine, keep it (basically) one length, with a slight layer in the back and a few pieces around the face, suggests David Kastin, stylist at Cutler Salons in New York and Miami. "If you add too many layers to fine hair, it tends to fall even flatter," he adds. Conversely, if your hair is thick, you need lots of layers. "Thick hair that's cut to one length looks static and blocky—sort of like a cartoon," Kastin says.

Color: "If you have fine hair, a generous dose of both lowlights and highlights will give it the dimension it needs," says Kastin. On the other hand, experts agree that thick straight hair needs very little additional color to look styled, though they do suggest experimenting with the sexy-yet-understated "ombre" trend (dark at the roots and gradually lightened through the ends), which, if done well, uses color to accentuate the curves of your face.

Styling: Shampoo and conditioner play an important role when it comes to styling straight hair, says Jennifer Cho, a Suave Professional stylist, who suggests a volumizing product line. "Make sure you rinse the conditioner out of your hair extremely well to prevent your hair from becoming greasy," she urges. Also, rough towel-dry, but don't wrap your hair up in a towel on top of your head. While your hair is still wet, apply a thickening or volumizing spray to your roots and let it air-dry. (To better control how the product is administered, spray it into your hands first, Kastin suggests.) Finally, brush dry hair using a paddle brush—one with nylon and natural boar bristles, if possible—to prevent breakage while helping to smooth flyaways. Photo: Keith Lathrop/Woman's Day

Cut: To avoid the "triangle" or "pyramid" look that can occur with naturally dried wavy and curly hair, your stylist should treat your hair like a puzzle, carving out each strand to fit together so that each curl has space to take its natural shape, explains Anila, stylist at Ouidad, a curly-hair specialty salon with its own product line. Anila also recommends your hair be air-dried, styled, and neither super-dirty nor super-clean when you come in for a haircut appointment. "This way, we can see how it naturally falls and retains oil." Then, because curly hair is often so poofy, the trick is to achieve a look that balances with the rest of your body.

Color: Curly hair looks messy when it lacks moisture, so avoid excessive coloring when you can, which makes hair duller and frizzier because it dries it out. If you prefer a little color to enhance your hair, go with highlights, which will accentuate specific curls and give hair a more styled look.

Styling: Before you get in the shower, brush your hair with a paddle brush to distribute natural oils, which will act as a protective shield against the harsh effects that shampoo can have on coarse hair. And always opt for a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, like Aveeno's Nourish + Moisturize line. After rinsing, wring your hair dry in the shower, but don't towel-dry later. "Waves and curls can be easily manipulated. If you twist them in a towel, they'll take on the form they begin drying in," says Dinis. Comb damp hair with a wide-toothed comb, then, section by section, rake a dime-size amount of cream moisturizer, like Organic Root Stimulator, through your hair from root to end. Next, scrunch your hair with your towel to both help curls take shape and blot out excess moisture, which helps your hair better absorb product. Then apply—from the back of your head to the top—a light cream-gel, like Ringlet 07 Curl Perfector by Redken, which will give form to your curls without weighing them down. Photo: Keith Lathrop/Woman's Day

Cut: Before cutting ethnic curls, your stylist should dry and straighten your hair with a flat iron until it's uniform. "Otherwise, there's no way to impose a shape, since curls always dry differently," says Titi Branch, co-owner of Miss Jessie's, a salon and product line that embraces naturally curly hairstyles for ethnic hair. Then the stylist can cut it to the style you want, whether that's short, medium or long.

Color: "Lifting (bleaching) and highlighting can be especially damaging to ethnic hair, which tends to be coarse and fine," says Kastin. In that case, consider requesting a stylist who has experience with a highlighting technique called "balayage" (French for "sweep"), referring to the motion of the application. How it works: Your colorist will literally paint your hair with color without using foil. The selectivity allows him or her to use less dye but still accentuate each strand in just the right way, making curls more defined.

Styling: Use a detangling shampoo, like Nairobi Exquisite Hydrating Detangling Shampoo, then an intense conditioner, like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask. Before rinsing out the conditioner, comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb. As soon as you rinse out your conditioner, wring your hair of water and, section by section, rake a quarter-size amount of a relatively "weighty" cream-based styling product, like Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding, through your hair from root to end until it's completely coated. "How you position your hair when it's wet is how it's going to be styled when it's dry," says Branch. Let your hair dry naturally, and try not to touch it—each time you run your fingers through your hair, you're removing product and disrupting the way each curl molds. Finally, it's best to wash hair as few times per week as possible. To protect your styled curls while you sleep, wear a silk cap, which seals in moisture caused by friction and dry heat. In the morning, reapply cream product, and stretch curls back out by pulling them lengthwise with your fingers—but do not brush or comb your hair again until you wash it. Photo: Keith Lathrop/Woman's Day